Almost a Christmas Bride. Susan Crosby

       “Why are you so mad?” Shana asked him.

      He hesitated a few seconds. “I’m not. I’m tired.”

      “You’ve become increasingly irritated for two weeks.”

      “And you’ve become increasingly calm.”

      It sounded like an accusation. “That’s a bad thing?” When Kincaid didn’t answer, she said, “Would you prefer I go back to my own bed?” She could hardly form the words, but she didn’t know what else to do.

      “No,” he said, his voice harsh.

      “Do you … want me to leave?” She swallowed around the hot lump in her throat.

      He finally looked directly at her. “No.”

      “Then what do you want?”

      Dear Reader,

      It’s been said that you can’t go home again. For Shana Callahan that’s a good thing. Home was difficult, so difficult that she ran away and stayed away for ten years. Now she’s back in her small hometown of Chance City, all grown up and wanting to make amends. She’s trying to prove she’s changed and has been walking a gossip-free path for a year now. She is home, but it’s a new kind of home.

      Landon Kincaid wants to help the struggling, pride-filled single mother. The way he goes about it, however, puts her squarely back in the gossip zone. But sometimes emotion trumps reputation, and success trumps pride. And sometimes love is all that matters.

      I hope you enjoy Shana and Kincaid’s journey as much I enjoyed sending them on it.

       Susan Crosby

      About the Author

      SUSAN CROSBY believes in the value of setting goals, but also in the magic of making wishes, which often do come true—as long as she works hard enough. Along life’s journey, she’s done a lot of the usual things—married, had children, attended college a little later than the average co-ed and earned a BA in English. Then she dove off the deep end into a full-time writing career, a wish come true.

      Susan enjoys writing about people who take a chance on love, sometimes against all odds. She loves warm, strong heroes and good-hearted, self-reliant heroines, and she will always believe in happily-ever-after.

      More can be learned about her at www.susancrosby.com.

      Almost A

      Christmas Bride

      Susan Crosby

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      For Lori and Justin.

      You’re proof that the institution of marriage thrives in these modern times. I’m so proud of both of you.

      Chapter One

      Shana Callahan had learned long ago not to get her hopes up, but this morning butterflies of anticipation were flitting in her stomach. She pressed a hand against her abdomen as she punched the elevator button for the third floor of the downtown Sacramento office building. The elevator seemed to climb in slow motion as her employer’s words echoed in her head again and again. “The job would be long-term, Shana. And it’s in Chance City.”

      Chance City, the place where’d she grown up, run away from at eighteen and then finally come back to after ten years away. Home.

      No more hour-long commute to Sacramento for whatever temp job she’d been placed in that day or week. No more crossing her fingers that her car would survive the trip. No more worrying about rain or fog or accidents adding extra time to her commute. If it took ten minutes to get across town in Chance City, it was because someone hailed you down to talk.

      She tried to imagine anyone from her small town contacting an employment agency instead of just tacking an ad to the bulletin board at the local diner, where most transactions were made, but no one came to mind.

      The elevator door opened. Shana followed the hallway to the office of At Your Service, a high-end clerical-and-domestic-help temp agency often nicknamed “Wives for Hire” by clients, and owned by the elegant, unflappable Julia Swanson.

      “Hey, Shana,” the receptionist, Missy, called out. “Julia said to send you straight back. She’ll be there in a second.”

      Julia’s office was as soothing as the woman herself, the color palette muted, the furniture classic. On the wall behind her tidy mahogany desk hung the company logo, with “When you need the personal touch …” in gold lettering below it. It set the tone for every client or employee who sat opposite her.

      Shana made herself sit rather than pace and appear anxious when Julia arrived, but her foot bounced and her stomach continued to churn.

      “Hello, Shana,” Julia said from the doorway. “How are you?”

      Hopeful. Scared. Excited. “I’m good, thanks. And curious.”

      Julia smiled. “Are you ready for your interview?”

      “Yes.” Shana stood. “Is there anything else you can tell me?”

      “I prefer to let the client do the talking.”

      They left her office and headed to the consultation room two doors down, which held a conference table with chairs on either side. Shana had never been interviewed in that room before, had always been sent to the office or home of the client. It rattled her a little. Plus, the client came from Chance City….

      Hope scattered as a man stood—a tall, lean, muscular, familiar man with laser-blue eyes and medium brown hair. Landon Kincaid. Shana had known him for about a year, disliked him for about that long, too—ever since he’d tried to steal her sister away last year from the man she’d always been meant for. He didn’t seem to like her much, either.

      “Hello, Shana,” he said, not offering his hand to shake.

      “Kincaid.”

      “I’ll leave you two to talk,” Julia said, shutting the door behind her.

      Shana stared at the closed door for a few moments, gathering her thoughts, tamping down her disappointment. Would she ever learn not to hope? “We don’t have to go through with the interview,” she said as she turned to face him.

      “Why not?”

      “Well, now that you’ve seen it’s me Julia lined up …” She shrugged.

      “I asked specifically for you,” Kincaid said, gesturing her to a chair.

      She frowned. “Why?”

      “You have all the skills I require.”

      Her head started to pound with confusion. She rubbed her temples and sat across from him. “Why didn’t you just ask me directly? I saw you four days ago at Aggie’s Thanksgiving dinner.”

      “I knew you’d say no.” He sat. “This way you know it’s strictly business.”

      “Why would I say no to a decent job offer? You know my situation. To have the opportunity to work in town is a dream come true. You could’ve skipped the agency fees and paid me the whole amount. I’d be better off for it.”

      “You would’ve said no,” he repeated, smiling slightly, knowingly.

      “Just because we don’t like each other very much doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want the job.”

      He leaned back, studying her. “I take it Julia didn’t fill you in on all the details.”

      She frowned. “She told me it was in Chance City and long-term.”

      “She didn’t tell you it’s a